Island County Commissioners
Mission Statement
Quality Services for a Quality Life
Guiding Principles
- Provide for the long term health and safety of the people, the economy and our natural resources.
- Assure customer service & promote operational excellence and efficiencies of Island County.
- Promote active participation in government.
- Fulfill our constitutional responsibilities, holding ourselves to a high standard of accountability, transparency, ethics and fairness.
- Maintain agricultural & recreational opportunities while strengthening our economic vitality.
Historical Note
On April 4, 1853, the first Island County Commissioners' meeting took place in Coveland, the newly designated county seat. Coveland was located on Penn Cove northwest of Coupeville. The meeting was held at the home of Commissioner John Alexander. The other two commissioners attending were John Crockett and Samuel D. Howe.
Island County was one of four counties carved out of Thurston County by the Oregon Territorial Legislature. At the time, it included the future Island, San Juan, Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties.
The first regular business for the commission was a proposed road to Coveland from Ebey's Landing on the west side of the island. The board approved a petition for the road from Col. Isaac N. Ebey (1818-57) and 11 others. They appointed Ebey, Daniel Show, and Samuel Crockett to lay out the county road, as requested. They also appointed Hugh Crockett as sheriff.
The Board
The Board of Commissioners is Island County's legislative and executive authority and is comprised of three commissioners elected to four-year terms. Island County is divided into three geographic districts based on population. Each commissioner must be living in the district from which they are elected. The commissioners' positions are partisan and are nominated in a primary election embracing only their particular district. All voters in Island county are given an opportunity in the general election to select whom will serve.
The commissioners are charged with overseeing county operations; financial and budgetary matters; and the adoption of laws that regulate county growth, health, safety and welfare of its citizens.
Board Meetings
The Board of Island County Commissioners meet in regular open session at 10 a.m. on the first four Tuesdays of every month and at 2 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday for roundtable discussions with elected county officials and appointed department heads.
Tuesday meetings are televised via a videoconferencing link to Island County's Camano Administrative Building, 121 N. East Camano Drive, south of Camano Plaza and Camaloch Golf Course. A public comment period is scheduled at 10 a.m. on the first four Tuesdays of each month.
The commissioners also meet at 9 a.m. on the first three Wednesdays of each month for work sessions with elected officials and appointed department Heads and as the Island County Board of Health at 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.
Meetings are held in the Commissioners' Hearing Room, located downstairs in the Courthouse Annex Building, Room #B-102, at 1 N.E. 6th St. in Coupeville, Wash.
Visit the weekly Regular Session Meeting Agenda or Work Session Agenda for the Zoom meeting ID number by clicking the links below:
Click here for Online and In-Person Public Participation Guidelines.
If you have questions about the board meetings, please do not hesitate to call our office at 360-679-7354.
**PUBLIC COMMENT INFORMATION**
If you would like to make an oral public comment, see the upcoming agenda links listed above.
To provide written comment to the board, email your comments to CommentBOCC@islandcountywa.gov. In your comment, include the date of the hearing and the item for which you want to provide written comment. Written comments will not be read during the meeting. All board members will receive the written comments.
COVID-19 Island County
To read any of the adopted resolutions in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, click on the links below:
For up-to-date Island County COVID-19 information, click here.
